No, I don’t want Trump to succeed
In 2004, Thomas Frank wrote a very insightful book called “What’s the Matter with Kansas?” After Tuesday’s election results, he owes us another book: “What’s the Matter with America?”
If we really believe in America, how could we elect as president a man who is against everything America stands for? If we really believe that all men and women are equal under the Constitution, how could we elect a man who treats women like dirt and promises to round up and deport 11 million Latinos?
If we really believe in freedom of religion, how could we elect a man who wants to institute a religious test for anyone coming into this country? If we really believe in saving the planet, how could we elect a man who claims global warming’s a hoax invented by the Chinese?
If we really believe in America’s standing in the world, how could we elect a man who’s a global embarrassment, and who wants to carpet bomb ISIS and hand out nuclear weapons to South Korea, Japan and Saudi Arabia? If we really believe in the dignity of the office of president of the United States, how could we elect a man who’s so clearly unqualified and unfit for the job?
It’s always hard to lose an election, any election. Take it from me. I’ve been involved in losing presidential campaigns and local campaigns. I led a losing statewide initiative campaign. I ran for statewide office myself and lost. Every one of those failures hurt. But this one, this loss to Donald Trump, is different. This is worse than losing to Ronald Reagan or George W. Bush. It’s worse than any political loss we’ve ever suffered. Because this time everything we believe in is suddenly at risk. Everything we fought for and gained is likely to be ripped away from us.
The morning after Trump’s dramatic and unexpected win, both President Obama and Secretary Clinton took the high road, acknowledging their disappointment, but urging Americans to put their pain aside and unite behind the new president. He’d instructed his staff to work with Trump’s team to ensure an orderly transition because, said the president, “we are now all rooting for his success.” Addressing her campaign team in New York, Clinton echoed: “I hope that he will be a successful president for all Americans.”
Now, you and I both know they’re right. That’s what we should do. As good-hearted Americans, we’re all supposed to wish the new president well and hope he succeeds. But count me out. When that train leaves the station, I won’t be on it. I’m sorry, but no, I don’t want Donald Trump to succeed. I want Donald Trump to fail.
Think about it. Here’s what America will look like if Donald Trump succeeds in delivering what he promised during his campaign. If he succeeds in repealing Obamacare, 20 million Americans who now have health insurance for the very first time — families with children, the disabled, people with serious illness, poor people on Medicaid — will lose that protection and be thrown back on the mercy of insurance companies. With no back-up plan, because Trump has not provided one.
If Donald Trump succeeds in placing one or more conservatives on the Supreme Court, Roe v. Wade will be overturned in his first year in office, women will lose the right to control their own bodies, women’s health will suffer and pregnant women seeking an abortion will be condemned to the fate of back alleys and coat hangers.
If Donald Trump succeeds, all efforts to slow the growth of climate change will cease and all progress made so far will be reversed. The United States will pull out of the Paris Climate Accord. EPA’s new rules limiting emissions from coal-fired power plants will be rescinded. As will any regulations on drilling offshore or on public lands.
If Donald Trump succeeds, the Iran Nuclear Deal will be scrapped, allowing Iran to resume the building of nuclear weapons. There will be no minimum wage. There will be no labor unions. Once the DoddFrank law is repealed, there will be no more restrictions on reckless Wall Street trading. But the wealthiest of Americans will enjoy another big, fat tax cut from their billionaire buddy.
Again, I didn’t make this agenda up. These are all promises made by Donald Trump during his campaign. These are his top priorities. That’s why I want him to fail. That’s why I don’t want him to succeed. Because if Donald Trump succeeds, America fails.